Chapter 78 Fanning the Flames
"My precious treasure has always been you; not anyone else." Alaric's deep, resonant voice delivered the sweet words, lingering in Cecilia's ears.
Cecilia couldn’t comprehend how Alaric managed to be so adept at flirting. How did he make such affectionate words sound so genuine? With his incredibly magnetic voice, it felt impossible for any woman to resist.
"Smooth talker," she replied, pretending to be angry. She was, in fact, trying to mask her nervousness. If this continued, she feared she would easily be drawn to him.Seraphina had cautioned her. Even if she couldn’t be with Dominic, being with Alaric wasn’t an option either. Men were all the same."Let go of me. I have something important to do," she pushed against Alaric, who was leaning into her.
Despite his seemingly slender frame, he felt as immovable as a rock. Cecilia struggled, but it was futile.Seeing her flushed face, Alaric relented and stood up, a teasing smile lingering on his lips.
Cecilia let out a sigh of relief and composed herself. "Alaric, I have something to tell your family."
Alaric nodded, as if he had anticipated it."Go check if Emily has gone back to her room."
Alaric frowned.
"Please," Cecilia added politely.
His expression darkened, but he complied, leaving the room abruptly.
After a while, he appeared at the door, his tall figure leaning lazily against the frame. "She’s back in her room. You can go out now," he said, his tone laced with sarcasm.
Cecilia didn't understand why Alaric was angry. She was careful about Emily’s feelings; he should have appreciated that. But she couldn't decipher Alaric’s thoughts anyway.
Taking a deep breath, she exited the room, heading downstairs. In the living room, the Whitaker family was gathered, seemingly having just settled Emily and now resting.
"Emily hasn't had an episode in a long time. It was really scary. Fortunately, the doctor said it didn't harm her heart. We must be more careful next time," Grace said.
"I'm worried about what will happen if Emily wakes up and remembers Pamela," Christopher said helplessly.
"Should we get Emily a cat that looks exactly like Pamela and surprise her when she wakes up?" Jasper suggested.
"Better not. I'm afraid seeing another cat might make her even sadder," Arabella said, "Let's see how she feels when she wakes up and ask her opinion. I hope she won't want to keep pets anymore; their companionship is limited."
"You're right," Grace agreed, her eyes suddenly widening in surprise.
Everyone followed Grace's gaze to see Alaric and Cecilia coming downstairs.
Wasn't Cecilia supposed to have left? Why was she still here?
The room fell silent, everyone too stunned to speak.
Cecilia, however, remained impeccably composed. She smiled gracefully and said, "I have something to discuss with you, so I didn't leave. I waited until Emily returned to her room before coming down with Alaric. We won't run into her."
"Sorry for the inconvenience." Arabella quickly stood up from the couch and warmly clasped Cecilia's hand, a genuine pang of guilt surfacing.
"You're too kind. Don't mind it." Cecilia smiled slightly. "I just have a few things to say to everyone. I'll leave after that."
"Please, have a seat. Emily is asleep now and won't be coming down for a while." Arabella quickly offered, gesturing to the couch.
Cecilia nodded and took a seat, her poise unshaken.
All eyes turned to her, anticipation hanging in the air. She didn’t mince words. "Pamela's death has nothing to do with me."
"You don't need to explain." Arabella interrupted. "We all know you didn't kill Pamela. Emily was just too emotional this morning. Pamela's death was a huge blow to her, and she spoke without thinking. Rest assured, everyone in our family believes it has nothing to do with you. I think Emily believes it too in her heart."
"If Emily believed that, I wouldn't have to leave." Cecilia responded with a wry smile, a hint of helplessness in her eyes.
"She just couldn't accept Pamela's death for a moment. Once she accepts it, she won't act like this anymore." Arabella tried to ease the tension.
"But I think it's necessary to reveal the truth," Cecilia insisted.
"Didn't you agree to keep quiet? Why are you suddenly going back on your word?" Rebecca stirred the pot, her words laced with malice. "Aren't you deliberately making things difficult for Mrs. Arabella Whitaker?"
"Rebecca," Jasper's voice was soft but firm, a warning hidden within.
Rebecca ignored Jasper and continued, "If you didn't agree with Mrs. Arabella Whitaker's arrangement, you should have said so. Don't you think you're a bit shameless now?"
"Rebecca!" Jasper's voice sharpened noticeably.
At that moment, Rebecca felt a piercing gaze. She gritted her teeth. Alaric, once dismissive of women, now seemed to stand in defense of Cecilia. Was he warning her with that glare?
Cecilia also locked eyes with Rebecca. She understood perfectly well that Rebecca was not an ally. Rebecca's so-called reminders about Emily weren’t out of genuine concern but rather casual remarks, eagerly anticipating her missteps.
Seeing Cecilia now being undermined by Emily, Rebecca likely found the situation amusing. She couldn’t resist taking a few digs to worsen Cecilia’s plight and balance out her own past grievances. Killing two birds with one stone indeed.
Arabella, too, felt a growing discomfort. She knew Cecilia was wronged, and felt genuinely sorry for her. She had always known Cecilia to be understanding and hoped she could see the predicament they were all in.
Yet, at this moment, Cecilia’s insistence on proving her innocence seemed unyielding, especially with Rebecca fanning the flames. Cecilia's persistence could easily alienate the Whitaker family.
For the Whitaker family, Emily's well-being was paramount. Nothing else mattered.
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